Quincy nanny pleads innocent to killing baby

Choking back tears, a Quincy nanny pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and assault and battery on a child in the alleged beating death of a Cambridge baby. Aisling McCarthy Brady, 34, is accused of beating 1-year-old Rehma Sabir on Jan. 14 – the child’s first birthday. Rehma died from a brain hemorrhage and other injuries two days later.

By Erin Baldassari

Milford Daily News

By Erin Baldassari

Posted Apr. 19, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 19, 2013 at 7:04 PM

By Erin Baldassari

Posted Apr. 19, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 19, 2013 at 7:04 PM

WOBURN

» Social News

Choking back tears, a Quincy nanny pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and assault and battery on a child in the alleged beating death of a Cambridge baby.

Aisling McCarthy Brady, 34, is accused of beating 1-year-old Rehma Sabir on Jan. 14 – the child’s first birthday. Rehma died from a brain hemorrhage and other injuries two days later.

Brady was taken into custody Jan. 22 and charged with assault and battery on a child. She was charged with first-degree murder April 12 after an autopsy report stated that the cause of death was a “blunt-force head injury.”

Assistant District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said the doctor performing an autopsy on the infant said there was “no other explanation” but homicide to account for the baby’s death.

Rehma was playing with her mother early in the morning of Jan. 14 after spending two days with out-of-town relatives, who were visiting to celebrate her first birthday, Fitzgerald said.

Rehma was able to pick up a teacup from a new tea set, “demonstrating her neurological soundness at the time,” Fitzgerald said.

Rehma’s mother left for work at about 9:30 a.m., as Rehma cried profusely.

Rehma’s mother said Brady appeared “annoyed” when the mother returned to the house moments after leaving to retrieve a neighbor’s newspaper.

The child was crying so loudly after her mother left that a neighbor reportedly knocked on the door to check on her. According to Brady’s statement to police, she never heard the neighbor’s knock.

In her account, Brady said she played with Rehma until about 10:10 a.m., and then put her down for a nap. Rehma’s grandparents came to the apartment at about 11:30 a.m., while the baby was sleeping. When they left just after 1 p.m., the child was still asleep.

Rehma reportedly woke up after her grandparents left but didn’t finish her milk and appeared lethargic, according to Brady’s statement. Brady reportedly put the baby to sleep again, and when the grandparents returned at about 4 p.m., Rehma was still asleep.

The grandmother was reportedly concerned that a 1-year-old would sleep all day, and both she and Brady went to check on the child. Finding Rehma unresponsive, they called 911.

Thompson said the baby “was not normal,” citing a history of medical issues, including malnourishment. Thompson said the prosecution’s statement did not include an early assessment from a doctor who said Rehma had bone fractures that were 2 or 3 weeks old.

Rehma had been traveling with her parents overseas two weeks earlier, and returned to the country Jan. 2, Fitzgerald said.

Page 2 of 2 - Rehma would not have been able to play and eat if she had been injured weeks ago, according to a medical examiner’s report. The doctor ruled the cause of death was a “blunt-force head injury” consistent with “shaking” and “slamming” the child down on a hard surface, Fitzgerald said.

Police reportedly noted damage on the wall next to the changing table and pieces of wall plaster on the floor, Fitzgerald said. They also said they found six bloody baby wipes and bloodstains on Rehma’s onesie and pillowcase.

Thompson countered that they didn’t know yet whose blood was found inside the house or on Rehma.

Brady stayed with the family in the immediate aftermath and “kept vigil at the hospital” with them, and then complied with every request from authorities, Thompson said.

Brady, an Irish immigrant, is in the U.S. illegally, authorities have said.

“(Brady) wants to stay here. She wants to answer these charges, and she wants to clear her name,” Thompson said. “Tragically, this child died, but it was not in the hands of my client.”